Generation X women were more likely to do
housework, care for children, read for pleasure
and do lawn work, the study found. Millennial
women were more inclined to exercise, spend
leisure time on computers, take care of their
pets and sleep.
The report uses American Time Use Survey
data to capture how people lived at a point in
time between the ages of 23 and 38. For Amy
Rottier’s generation, that was in 2003. For her
daughter Helen, it was in 2019 — a year before
the global coronavirus pandemic dramatically
altered patterns of living. The report reflects
changes for men as well as women.
Both generations spent the same amount of
time working, and men worked longer hours
than women because women were more likely
to work part time. The two generations spent
about the same time on leisure and sports
activities, but Gen Xers were more likely than
millennials to have children and own homes.
Even though viewing television was the top
leisure activity for both generations, millennial
men spent 18 minutes a day less watching TV
than their Gen X counterparts. They appear
to have shifted that time into playing games.
On an average day, more millennials were
participating in sports, recreation and exercise
than their Gen X peers.
Changes in technology weighed heavily in
people’s choices, according to the report. Social
media was in its infancy in 2003, smartphones
weren’t widespread and Cyber Monday hadn’t
yet been invented by retail marketing gurus.
“Millennials have an advantage in that they
were able to do a lot of things from the comfort